US Nears ‘Take It or Leave It’ Deal for Hamas

The United States is reportedly preparing to present a final “take it or leave it” offer to Hamas and Israel following the grim discovery of the bodies of six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who were taken by Hamas on October 7. According to the *Washington Post*, this development involves senior US officials, along with Egypt and Qatar, who have indicated that a failure to accept the forthcoming proposal could lead to the US withdrawing from the negotiation efforts.

The deal is expected to be laid out within the next few weeks. A senior US administration official expressed the need to conclude the negotiations, emphasizing the urgency brought on by the recent tragic findings.

The discovery of the hostages’ bodies, while adding complexity to the negotiations, has not derailed the talks. Instead, it has injected a sense of urgency into the proceedings. Previously, discussions had focused on which hostages would be exchanged for specific Palestinian prisoners.

The remains of three hostages—Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, and Eden Yerushalmi—were found recently. These individuals were reportedly on the list of those to be released in upcoming exchanges, suggesting that the terms of the hostage-prisoner swap might need revisiting.

The United States and the Israel Defense Forces have accused Hamas of executing the hostages “execution style” just before their bodies were found. This act has been cited by a US official as a reason to question Hamas’s commitment to the negotiation process, noting that the group has been inflexible during talks despite concessions from Israeli negotiators.